Invalid lifting and moving device.



No. 686,425. I Patented Nov. I2, mm. H. SOMMERFELD.

INVALID LIFTING AND MOVING DEVICE.

(Application filed May 10, 1901.)

(No Model.)

HEINRICH SOMMERFELD, OF CANTON,

PATENT ()FFICE.

KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM M. LIGGETT, OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS.

IN VALID LIFTING AND MOVING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 686,425, dated November 12, 1901.

Application filed May 10,1901.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HEINRICH SOMMERFELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canton, in the county of McPherson and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Invalid Lifting and Moving Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates toinvalid lifting and moving devices; and my object is to produce a device of this character whereby an invalid can be conveniently handled and moved to or from his bed or from one room to another which is of simple, strong, durable, and cheap construction.

With this object in View the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and combinations of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which- I Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same on an-enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line III III of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view, as viewed from theunder side, of the lock-bar for securing the arms at the desired relation with each other.

In the said drawings, 1 designates a short bifurcated post provided with horizontal lugs 2, projecting diametricallytherefrom,and pivoted to said lugs, as, at 3, so as to swing in a horizontal plane, are the bifurcated inner ends of the arms 4, the rearward-projecting arm being preferably very much shorter than the others, and swiveled to the outer ends'of said arms are frames 5, carrying casters or wheels 6.

7 designates a mast secured rigidly in the bifurcated post 1 and formed at its front edge as a rack-bar 8, and to brace this mast a sleeve 9 is fitted non-rotatably thereon and provided at the front and sides with outwardly-projecting cars 10, through which bolts 11 extend and pivotally through the interposed braces 12, the latter being clamped at their lower ends, as at 13, t0 the front and side arms 4, so that when the latter are pivotally operated said braces turn upon pivot-bolts 11 to accom- Serial No. 59,579. (N0 odel-l modate such movement. Projecting at opposite sides from mast 7 and extending vertically thereof are angular guide-ribs 14, and mounted to move up and down upon the mast is a U -shaped frame 15, provided with vertical grooves 16, snugly embracing the guide-ribs. 17 designates a supporting-lever pivoted to the upper end of mast 7 and pivotally connected by a link 18 to the vertically-adjust- 6o able slide-frame 15, the bolt 19, uniting the link with said lever, serving alsoas a pivotal support for the depending rods 20, linked, as at 21, to the leg-support 22, said leg-support being depressed at opposite sides'of the center, as at 23, to receive snugly and comfortably the legs of the invalid. At its front end the lever is pivotally united by link 24 to the depending rods 25, pivoted at their lower ends to plates 26, united by a flexible belt 27, said belt naturally assuming a U shape and adapt ing itself to the body of the invalid, being slipped under the back and brought up under the arms in actual practice, and in order that this belt and saddle, or harness, asit could properly be termed, may be easily placed under the invalid when reclining the connection between links 21 and the saddle and rods 25 and plates 26 is a detachable connection.

28 designates a short shaft journaled in frame 15 and carrying at one end a cog-wheel 29, engaging rack 8, and at the other a wormwheel 30, engaging a Worm or screw 31, the shaft 32 of said worm being journaled in lugs 33, projecting from the frame, a crank-arm 34, mounted on said shaft, being the means whereby the cog-wheel 29 is turned, and therefore caused to travel up or down the rack-bar of the mast, this movement, of course, raising or lowering the lever.

In practice, assuming that the device is arranged adjacent to the bed containing the invalid, with the mast preferably at the foot of the bed and the lever 17 overhanging the same, the crank is manipulated to lower the harness 5 in the desired degree in order that belt 27 may be positioned under the invalids back and up under his arms and the saddle 22 secured under his legs above the knee. The crank is then turned to raise the lever. This elevates 100 the invalid with practically no exertion on the part of the operator and in the most comfortable manner to the party moved. The bed may now be rearranged or the invalid maybe deposited in a chair near by. All that is necessary to accomplish this object is to grasp link 18 and turn the mast, this action taking place because of the pivotal connection between legs 2 and arms 4. If it be desired to move the invalid a greater distance than can be edected by simply turning the mast, the latter can be grasped and the device drawn across the floor to the desired point. Should it be desired to move the invalid through an ordinary door-opening, it is necessary that the side arms 4 shall be so disposed that they shall readily pass through the door, and in order that there shall be no possibility of their swinging nearer together, and therefore afiecting the stability of the device to such an extent that it might tip over and let the invalid fall, I provide a bar 35, preferably curved to rest upon the side and front arms 4, and vertical lugs 36, depending from said bar in pairs to embrace opposite sides of said arms. This arrangement locks the arms together in the desired relation, this relation being adjustable, of course, by moving the bar inward or outwardthat is to say, when bar 35 engages arms 4 near their outer ends said arms are nearer together than when said bar connects them adjacent to their points of pivotal connection with the braces 12.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced a device for lifting and moving invalids which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of invention, and while I have described and illustrated the preferred embodiment of the same it is to be understood that it is susceptible of changes in minor particulars without departing from its spirit and scope.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a device of the character described, a mast formed with a rack-bar, arms pivoted to the mast to swing laterally, and provided with casters at their outer ends, braces connecting said arms with the mast and pivotally united to the latter, a frame mounted on the mast, a lever projecting from the latter, a link pivotally connecting the frame and the lever, a suspension-harness supported from the lever, a shaft mounted in said frame, a cog wheel rigid thereon and engaging the rack-bar, and a worm-gearing for operating said cog-wheel, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character described, a mast, a lever mounted on the mast, a suspension-harness carried thereby, means for raising and lowering said lever, arms pivotally connected at their inner ends to the mast so as to swing laterally and provided with casters at their outer ends, braces pivotally connecting said arms with the mast, and a bar provided with lugs to engage certain of said arms, and hold them at the desired distances apart, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HEINRICH SOMMERFELD.

W'itnesses:

H. O. RODGERS, G. Y. THORPE. 

